Last year the VHRs put out a plea for money to help with a project to get more kids into the National Parks. The region decided to help a project called Far Schools, which takes kids from outlying communities in the Northern Cape into Augrabies National Park.

For most of these children the whole thing is a first - first time most of them have ever left their community, first time in a wilderness area, first time camping. You can read more about one of the trips here

This year the VHRs heard a plea from Christine du Plessis (People & Conservation Officer, Augrabies Falls National Park) who organises* the trips, that they need some lanterns so that the kids can walk safely from their tents to the ablutions and back.

*oh and takes the big park bus for miles and miles to fetch kids and return them again, cooks, cleans and devises and leads the activities.

So we got our resident lighting expert (Sparks) to do some digging around and he found these:Lantern type contraption with reasonable light output, solar panel as well as 220 and crank handle charging, something that is robust enough to cope with teenagers and the extremes of the Arid Region.

R200 each. R4800 for 24.

We've already done some fund raising - Crested Val had a coffee morning (read all about it here) which raised R1600 and we have had an anonymous donation of R2000.

But we are still R1200 (or 6 lanterns) short.

So, dearest, kindest, most generous forumites, the VHRs are asking for help. To Light The Way for the kids, we need:

1. Sponsors for the remaining 6 lanterns.2. Help getting the lanterns from Gauteng to Augrabies3. More donations for the Far Schools Project, to help with another trip planned later this year.

To donate: For banking details please PM any of the VHRsFor overseas 'mites, please use the GivenGain donation site.

Please could you mark any donation with the following reference: VHR KIP Augrabies {your name} . That way we'll be able to find it and make sure it gets to the kids.